On Tue, 3 Sep 1996, Ray Hopland wrote: >Patrick <snip> ... > If the player mechanism has minimal leaks, this can be determined by >putting the player in the play mode and setting the tempo at zero, then >block all the tracker bar holes with something (I use masking tape). Pump >up the pedals until they are tight and then push as hard as you can on both >pedals. It should take at least two seconds before the pedals bottom out. >This should give reasonable playing ease. ... > >Ray > Ray, The countries best player techs do not seem to be on pianotech, so I will interject my 2 cents: Your test is good up to the point where it ends, but it is incomplete, and may completely fail to give useful results for the following reasons: 1. The individual note pneumatics are not tested and may leak very badly. They may have holes in the fabric, or be leaking through glue joints or gaskets. 2. The motor is completely cut off. The regulator may leak, tuping may be bad, the valves may leak, and like the other pneumatics, may have holes in the fabric (a most common problem). I suggest that the test you describe be performed, but extend the test by continuing to keep the reserve pumped hard (collapsed) and while doing that, slowly pull the tape off of the tracker bar. Every note should play, and after the tape is completely removed, all hammers should be held checked in the forward position. If this cannot be accomplished, or if by then you are pumping extremely fast, it is a leaky, hard playing action. If the piano still passes as this point, move the motor speed lever to medium fast-- if hammers fall back or you can't keep up the pumping speed, again, the piano fails the test. I know this may sound severe to those who are not familiar with properly working players, but it is the minimum that you should expect of a good player. A quick and very simple test: Can you keep the player going at medium volume and speed with just one pedal? If not, it fails again! Bill Bailer \\\ William Bailer wbailer@cris.com \\\ Rochester, NY, USA phone: 716-473-9556 \\\ Interests: acoustics, JSBach, anthropology, piano technology
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